Info on Hermit ice skating, cobbled together from various streams:
It was a surprise for Tango’s birthday! He’d caught wind that ice skating was on the docket as a possibility earlier on, but he didn’t think anything was planned for certain and he was worried that it would be public skate. Turns out the other Hermits had rented out the ENTIRE rink for an hour, just for themselves! And they kept it on the down low until they could surprise him day-of. According to Tango, it was Gem’s idea, and Grian and Skizz put it together.
Gem and Tango finally had their skate-off! Tango admits defeat and relents that Gem is the better skater. Might be because she was outpacing him going backwards.
The last time Impulse had gone skating was ten years ago, and upon hearing that he was gonna get back on the ice, his wife had so much faith in him that she immediately looked up the nearest hospital. Yep.
As expected, when he first got on the ice, Impulse initially sucked at it, but by the end of the hour he was COOKING. And even going backwards! Gem complimented him and said he did great.
Gem also said that Impulse gets flaily and spins when he feels like he’s about to fall which is hilarious.
Tango had a boomer moment: Impulse asked him to record a video of him skating so he could show his wife, and Tango ended up recording two or three laps of his own stupid mug. LOL
Impulse was beaming ear to ear the entire time. He had so much fun!
EDIT thank you Inferna: Impulse has expressed very strong interest in joining Tango’s hockey team. The season has already started, so it’s a bit late to sign up, but Tango said he’ll talk to the coach. Stay tuned ;-)
Despite not being on the ice in ten years, Gem can still figure skate! She was doing jumps and spins and stuff and wowing everyone else. She herself described it as “I can still skate as well as a 6-year-old. But I impressed my coworkers, so that’s what matters.”
Gem had so much fun on the ice that it might as well have been a treat for her specifically. “It feels like it’s my birthday too.”
Martyn, to the surprise of no one, is good at everything and was immediately a natural on the ice despite skating maybe only once before, years ago. Tango called him a jerk.
There is an adorable photo of Tango helping Pearl learn to skate for the first time which I’ll include below. Skizz says this is possibly his favorite picture from the entire day, because it displays what a wonderful family dynamic the Hermits have with each other.
Tango fell ONCE because he was going too fast, started spinning and almost hit the boards.
The Hermits made good use of the plastic seals that are used as training supports for kids. Skizz said he had to bend all the way down to hold on to the thing. He’s gigantic. You can imagine how that looked.
At one point Skizz was sitting on one of the seals and Tango was pushing him around. Skizz fell off.
Reportedly, there was a game of Mario Kart using the seals. Grian sat on a seal with Tango pushing him, and Jimmy, Gem, and Martyn were also apparently involved. Two laps. Miraculously no injuries. Cleo has footage.
Cleo took ten steps onto the ice and biffed it. And apparently fell a second time as well. Skating does not appear to be their sport.
Most of the group broke away at one point to play broomball, but Tango, Gem, Impulse, and Martyn kept the skates on until the end of the hour.
The broomball players were encouraged to wear helmets. Skizz did not take a helmet. He fell and nearly ate ice and his own front teeth. Zed begged him to get a helmet. He got a helmet.
Tango admitted that he was possibly the happiest he’s ever happied. “There was whimsy coming out everywhere.”
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